III.

 "I did it Kai! I did it!"
 "I know Rosie, you've told us at least a hundred times!"
 "But I'm so happy, you can't believe!"
 "I feel it in your voice, don't worry!"
 "Oh, Kai, if I did so well in this race, what about the others?! I'm gonna win them all!"
 "Of course you will..." he smiled.
 Rosie took a deep breath and looked to the stars. They were in their boxes and it was late at night. Martin and Bob were still celebrating "their" "victory" and Sydney went to sleep.
 "Do you think you will get a reward for your performance?"
 Rosie snored loudly. She fell asleep standing.
 Kai smiled and prepared to lay down. Suddenly a noise caught his attention. He looked outside and saw that stallion again. He looked around himself furiously searching for the hook, but it was gone!
 "Oh shit!" the gate was locked shut and nothing useful within the reach. He reared up a bit from the distraction still looking around for something. Then he got angry and tried to jump over the gate. He got hit in his ribs hard but managed to crawl over it for the price of his knees as well.
 Kai has found the horse at the same gate as last night. This time, he was pushing the gate using his head.
 Kai watched silently till the gate squeaked and opened a bit.
 "Wait!" he got scared, "what are you doing!"
 The stallion swiftly looked at him and decided to ignore his presence. He managed to open the gate enough to get through it.
 "Why is it... open..." remained Kai standing in amazement. The humans never forgot to lock the gates! Or did they?..
 "Hey, wait! Why are you escaping?!" went Kai after Claér giving him a lecture, "is freedom what you want? Racing isn't enough?"
 "Leave me alone!" he tried to walk away.
 "Then listen! They give you food, they make you stay warm and dry, when it's raining outside..."
 "Stop it!" he changed to trot.
 "They heal you, when you are hurt! You live longer, your life is easier!"
 "What are you trying to accomplish here?!" Claér stopped and shouted at Kai, "you're preaching me? You think you're my mother?! Damn you! You've got nothing to do with my business!"
 "And what's your business?!"
 "You... shut up!!" his eyes looked wet. He went to continue running again.
 Kai was thinking about returning to the stable, but was worried about the Obscura's condition. So he picked up pace again.
 Claér looked over his shoulder and got more anxious. He breathed out loudly a few times and ran faster.
 After a short while he stopped and yelled in misery: "Leave me alone!"
 "No!"
 "Why are you following me?!" he cried.
 "I'm worried about you! You can get hurt!"
 "Stop it!"
 "You can get hurt."
 They continued walking and Claér calmed down a bit. He unwillingly led Kai on a hill where there was a small ranch.
 Claér stopped by the fencing and looked around briefly: "She's not here..."
 "Who is she?"
 "She's my friend. Every night I try to escape and meet her."
 "You like her?"
 "And she likes me. But today she's not outside..."
 "I see..."
 Claér gave him and angry look and went on his way back to the stables.
 Kai took a last glance around and followed him silently.

 The open class was running today. Many horses were competing. Kay stayed in his box for the most of the day, when he heard something. At the time, they were coming for him to lead him to the pasture.
 "I can't sell Rosie!"
 "But the price is amazing..." Bob opposed.
 "No! No, it isn't! I can't sell my Rosie!" said Martin.
 "But the guy..." Bob leaned on the wall.
 "Fuck that guy. I'm not selling my horse!"
 "Yeah, right Martin! Nobody's selling our Rosie!" said Kai.
 "Rosie is mine!"
 "Right, Martin!" Kai frowned at Bob.
 Bob bit his lips and walked away.

 "Prick?"
 "Ah, prick is also an expression for being stabbed."
 "Cock?"
 "Is a rooster."
 "Maggot?"
 "Is a type of meat-eating worm or any other grub."
 "Bitch?"
 "A female dog!"
 "Asshole?"
 Diamond sighed: "Ass, is a nice word for a donkey..."
 "Shit?"
 "Excrement... said very expressively."
 "Dickhead?
 "Will you stop it?"
 "Why? I think it's funny!"
 "Maybe for individuals on your level."
 Pick got offended.
 Something cream flashed in Kai's peripherals. Ha! The hind gate was open again. He looked around if there are no humans nearby.
 "Pst! Hey, guys, cover me!" he jumped over the fence and ran away.
 Carrot shook his head slowly.
 "Hey, Diamond! What does fuck mean?"
 He took a deep breath: "You know Pick... When mommy loves daddy very much..."
 Tommy almost died of laughter.

 Kai didn't hesitate and ran towards the hill he went up last night with Claér. And really. A nice small mare was standing in the paddock. She was black and a bit fat but young and likeable. Kai approached her curiously.
 "Hi..." she said out loud when she turned her head. She looked surprised but not scared.
 "Hello... my name is Kai."
 "Hello, Kai. I'm Elizabeth," she smiled and seemed to be happy having company.
 "Um, hi."
 "Yes, you said that," she giggled, "where are you from?"
 "From... far away. I'm here for the race."
 "As well? That's nice. You racehorses have such nice communities... It's makes me a bit sad."
 "Why?"
 "You know... You don't know me and you come to me to have a chat. Then we talk about nice things and get to know each other. You and the stallion before you... You are both so nice."
 "Are you sure?" he snarled... but apologized swiftly.
 "Yes I am sure. And you know why? You racehorses talk to each other. You like each other or you hate... You laugh or you shout of anger. You've got some kind of relationship  thingy. But we, herd horses? The ones stuck in the paddock their whole lives? *Sigh* They are like, shut up finally and graze with us, because we are grazing! Nobody talks to you... Nobody... is anything."
 "Um... wow... that's a lot of information."
 "I'm so sorry! I hope I didn't insult you! I'm not used to have somebody to talk to... I have a lot to say, you see... I'm so sorry..."
 "That's ok," he smiled, "the friend of yours, has he been here already?"
 "No. No, you popped up alone today."
 "Oh, ok. Thanks. I think I've gotta go."
 "Will you come back?" she asked urgently.
 "Of course! I'll try to come again as soon as possible."
 "Thank you..."
 "You know why I came to visit you?"
 "Why?"
 "He told me about you and I wanted to meet you."
 "That's so nice!" she smiled so sincerely it made Kai feel warm by his heart.
 "See you soon, Elizabeth!"
 "Kai! Call me Lizie! See ya!"

 "Hey, won't the humans be mad when they find out a horse is missing?" asked Pick.
 "Ehm, ehm... he told us to cover him."
 "And how are we supposed to do that? Build his replica out of fucking twigs or what?"
 "They won't find out. Firstly, there are so many of us in here, one can easily get confused for another. And secondly, everyone is watching the race. Everybody who could happen to walk by would most probably be ignorant of us horses as individuals."
 A moment of silence.
 "Damn, Carrot, Diamond has infected you with... with brainz," said Pick.
 They smiled pityingly.

 By the time Kai got back, two humans were entering the pasture and went straight up to Rosie. She was having a conversation with two other mares... probably about her race yesterday. The guy snapped a leash to her head collar and led her away. She followed but was very tense.
 "Kai? Hi?" she sounded really confused, "what is happening Kai? You know where we're going? Kai?"
 "Rosie..." it couldn't be! Martin would never!..
 "Kai? I'm trying to stay calm but it's hard you see. I don't know them, do you?" her voice had a strange melody of stress.
 "..." he wanted to say something but was petrified with fear. He didn't want to stress Rosie more than she was.
 "Kai?!" she sounded so vulnerable but he couldn't lie to her! He wanted to calm her down, say it's going to be ok, or that he will be following her soon... But he would never be able to forgive his self for that...
 Rosie reared up and screamed shortly when they led her to the van. She wasn't kicking them but was resisting their will.
 "How did you get out?" Bob grabbed Kai's hater and forced him to turn. But he stayed solid.
 Rosie screamed again and kicked the van with her front legs. When two more men went up to her she panicked and kicked with all the strength she had.
 "Rosie... Rosie!" Kai reared up as well and tried to take Bob down with him. But he was a big heavy man used working with horses and pulled Kai back to the ground.
 "Help me!!" Rosie yelled and despair has made her cry.
 Kai's eyes were tearing up as well as he saw his best friend being taken away.
 "It's ok, Rosie! It's gonna be ok..." his voice broke as he knew he was probably lying to her. He looked to the ground and back up, winking tears out of his eyes. This was probably the last time he saw her.
 Rosie was now inside the van and they closed  it up fast.
 Kai stood there shaking. Hoping someone would say a word about what's happening. But everything was quiet.
 When the engine started up, Bob patted him: "Come on old buddy."
 He still watched the van as it was getting smaller and smaller in the distance.

 Diamond went up to Kai. He was still grieving.
 "Kai... Rosie... I'm so sorry... I've heard they've sold her..."
 "They've sold her?!" he shouted at him.
 "I didn't know who they were talking about!" he got scared, "I'm sorry... I didn't want to upset you..."
 "I know they were talking about selling her... But whom?"
 Diamond stood there silently for a while and then walked away.